Cape Council begins to firm up future agenda items

February 13, 2018

Cape Coral City Council council members took some time Monday to discuss issues they may be ready to tackle in the near future, including the long-running issue of the boat ramp in Matlacha and the equally controversial proposal to extend bar hours.

Councilmember John Gunter said he wants to discuss the boat ramp issue during the Feb. 26 Council workshop meeting, and possibly the extended bar hours as well as parking regulations on private property.

Councilmember John Carioscia, who last month brought up the extended bar hours issue, said he wants that discussion for a regular meeting and not a workshop.

City Manager John Szerlag added to the variety of issues pending, including the LCEC franchise, the rewrite of the Land-Use regulations, and the issue of "tiny homes."

One thing that may not be on an agenda any time soon is fishing under city bridges. Carioscia said he decided that more parking enforcement would help solve the problems there. He added that he would welcome other council members to bring the matter up as an ordinance, if they desired.

One ordinance expected to come up during the next regular Council meeting on March 5 will be one that addresses the nationwide problem of skimmers illegally placed in gas pumps.

Credit card skimmers are devices that thieves install on gas station pumps that accept payment via a credit or debit card, to illegally capture and steal the customer's credit card information, bank account information and funds.

As proposed, station owners would be required to install a visible gas pump panel locking device that requires an access key unique to each gas station location to restrict the unauthorized access of customer payment card information.

Skimmers have been discovered in 16 gas pumps in the city in the past 13 months, targeting older pumps.

In other business, City Council unanimously approved the continuation of out-of-classification for the Parks & Recreations director, Kerry Runyon, for another three months.

Szerlag said he would prefer to promote from within, as he has in the past in the fire and police departments. He said he hopes the next three months will determine if Runyon can handle the job permanently.

The city also reapproved Anthony Bennie and Jeffrey Slapper to the Planning and Zoning Commission and named John Joseph Stevens as an alternate.

As far as resolutions, the city had to handle three vacation of plat quasi-judicial cases and two municipal surplus property. Each passed.

The city manager's office was also honored by receiving a 2017 Davey Award for a pair of commercials it did with One Pro Media, with help from Waste Pro, on how to pick up your trash, as well as one about the city's water and irrigation, with the help of Stacy Mang.

The Davey Award is presented to small media companies which produce big ideas for all forms of media.

"It really recognizes the small production companies that put the ads together," said city spokesperson Connie Barron.